Aquatic platform for drug discovery and safety testing

The aim of this valorization program is (1) to pursue drug discovery for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases with unmet need and (2) to perform safety testing of compounds using small aquatic vertebrates, i.e. zebrafish and killifish. With regards to the first aim, aquatic models of human diseases, with the focus on epilepsy and age-related pathologies (e.g. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)) are modelled in zebrafish and killifish. The models are used to screen and discover novel lead compounds from libraries accessible via KU Leuven, EU-project partners, or industrial partners. In the second objective, safety of drug leads, chemicals, cosmetics and environmental samples are assessed in zebrafish models of (multi)organ toxicity/teratogenicity. Valorization of this program involves grant funding, IP (lead compounds), licensing contracts/royalties and bilateral contracts with industrial partners and academia.